Cyber Security
Security Compliance: Essential Frameworks for Meeting Regulatory Standards
Andrea Abbondanza ,
11 Apr, 2025
Security compliance involves protecting confidential data and complying with laws and regulations relating to information security. By meeting all security-related requirements, organisations can prevent cyberattacks, maintain the trust of all concerned, and manage risk.
What is security compliance?
Security compliance complies with regulatory requirements, industry-related laws, and internal security policies. It involves meeting specific security frameworks, standards, and internal policies to uphold data protection and privacy.
Organisations implement security compliance by establishing risk management processes and security measures to protect their data, assets, systems, and operations from potential threats.
What are the best practices for security compliance?
Security compliance management involves a multi-faceted approach that prioritises security and fosters a culture of awareness.
Create a cybersecurity compliance program
A cybersecurity compliance program outlines the organisation’s security objectives, defines roles and responsibilities, and establishes clear procedures for achieving compliance. Collaboration across departments, including IT, security, compliance, and executive leadership, is critical to the program’s success.
Establish security controls and automate them
Security controls are essential to detect, prevent, and mitigate risks that threaten an organisation’s data, assets, systems, or operations. These controls should be automated where possible to improve efficiency.
Develop a risk management plan
Organisations must establish a risk assessment process to identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, and their impact. The risk management plan outlines strategies to mitigate and manage identified risks.
Ensure continuous monitoring
As regulations and threats evolve, organisations must continuously monitor their security posture and adjust their compliance programs accordingly. This includes regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and incident response testing.
The critical importance of security compliance
Security compliance is critical to protecting sensitive data, building trust, and ensuring legal and regulatory accountability. In today’s digital economy, organisations are increasingly exposed to cyber threats, including ransomware, phishing, and insider attacks. Adherence to established security standards can minimise these risks by implementing best practices, promoting transparency, and strengthening organisational resilience.
In addition to reducing the risk of cyberattacks, compliance ensures alignment with industry expectations and customer demands. Consumers are more likely to trust companies that commit to data protection. In addition, compliance frameworks provide structured guidance that helps companies establish consistent and repeatable processes for managing security.
Failure to comply can lead to significant consequences, including financial penalties, lawsuits, data loss and reputational damage. Regulators worldwide are getting stricter, making compliance not only a best practice but a necessity. By investing in a robust security compliance program, organisations can protect their operations, gain a competitive advantage, and drive long-term success.
Information security laws and regulations
Governments and industries have introduced various laws and regulations to protect personal and business data. Compliance with these legal standards is essential to avoid penalties and maintain trust. Below are some of the most widely recognised information security regulations.
GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU law that governs the data protection and privacy of individuals in the European Union and European Economic Area. The regulation applies to any organisation that processes personal data of EU residents, regardless of where the organisation is located.
Key requirements include obtaining explicit consent for data processing, giving individuals access to their data, and ensuring data protection by design. Organisations must also report data breaches within 72 hours. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue.
SOX
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is a U.S. law that sets public companies’ financial reporting and data security requirements. Although initially intended to prevent accounting fraud, SOX has substantial implications for IT departments, especially in access control, audit trails, and data integrity.
Organisations must maintain secure systems to ensure that financial data is accurate and protected. IT systems must record changes, manage access rights, and be periodically tested for effectiveness. Any detection of non-compliance can lead to penalties, including jail time for executives.
PCI DSS
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a global standard for organisations that handle credit card transactions. It describes the technical and operational requirements to secure cardholder data and reduce fraud. Requirements include encrypting the transmission of cardholder data, maintaining secure systems, implementing access control measures, and testing networks regularly.
Credit card companies and banks enforce compliance, and failure to comply can result in fines, loss of card processing privileges, or reputational damage. Regular audits and vulnerability scans are part of ongoing compliance.
ISM
The Information Security Manual (ISM) is an Australian government framework that helps organisations secure their ICT systems. Developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), the ISM provides principles, guidelines and controls to mitigate cybersecurity risks. The ISMs are particularly relevant for government agencies and critical infrastructure providers but can also be helpful for private organisations.
The ISMs include recommendations on access control, system hardening, monitoring, and incident response. Compliance with the ISMs helps organisations strengthen their defences and align with national security objectives.
DORA
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is a regulation from the European Union that aims to ensure the financial sector can survive digital disruptions. It applies to banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and third-party service providers. DORA sets out requirements for ICT risk management, incident reporting, digital testing, and oversight of third-party providers.
The regulation aims to improve operational resilience by standardising cybersecurity practices across financial institutions. Compliance with DORA is critical to maintaining economic stability, protecting consumers, and avoiding regulatory penalties in a rapidly digitising financial industry.
Security compliance frameworks
Security frameworks provide a structured approach for organisations to implement, manage and evaluate their security and compliance efforts. These standards are often recognised across different industries and regions as benchmarks for best cybersecurity practices.
NIST CSF
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a voluntary framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. It helps organisations manage and mitigate cybersecurity risks. The framework is built around five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover.
The framework provides guidance that can be tailored to an organisation’s needs. The NIST CSF is widely adopted for its clarity, comprehensiveness, and adaptability. Organisations often use it as a foundation to align with other regulatory requirements and strengthen their cybersecurity.
ISO 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 is an international information security management system (ISMS) standard. The standard provides an approach to managing sensitive corporate information to ensure its confidentiality, integrity and availability. ISO 27001 outlines requirements for risk assessment, treatment plans, security controls, incident response and continuous improvement.
Certification demonstrates a commitment to strong information security practices and is often a requirement in contracts or industry regulations. Implementing ISO 27001 can help organisations proactively identify and address risks, streamline compliance processes, and build trust with clients and stakeholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between security compliance and regulatory compliance?
Security compliance focuses on meeting standards and best practices for protecting information systems and data. Regulatory compliance, on the other hand, involves complying with all laws and regulations applicable to the business, but not limited to security requirements.
While regulatory compliance may include labour laws, environmental regulations, or tax laws, security compliance is only concerned with maintaining the confidentiality and availability of data. Security compliance is often part of a broader regulatory compliance obligation.
What does a security compliance officer do?
Security compliance officers ensure that organisations comply with internal policies and external regulations related to information security. Their responsibilities include developing compliance programs, conducting risk assessments, monitoring security controls, and coordinating audits.
Security compliance officers also educate staff on security policies and manage responses to security incidents. Their role is crucial in reducing legal risks, avoiding fines, and maintaining a strong security posture.
What are some examples of security controls?
Security controls are safeguards or countermeasures to protect information systems and data. Examples include technical controls like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption; administrative controls such as security policies, training programs, and access control procedures; and physical controls like locked server rooms and surveillance systems.
These controls help prevent unauthorised access, detect malicious activity, and respond to incidents effectively. A well-rounded compliance program includes multiple security controls tailored to the organisation’s risks.
Conclusion
Security compliance is a vital component of any organisation’s cybersecurity strategy. It protects sensitive data, reduces legal risks, and builds trust with customers and stakeholders. Organisations can create a resilient and responsive security posture by aligning with recognised frameworks, adhering to regulations, and following best practices.
Maintaining compliance requires ongoing commitment, investment in tools and training, and a proactive approach to risk management as threats evolve. With the right strategies in place, security compliance drives business continuity and long-term success.
